1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an electrical locking connector and particularly an internal premold therefore which secures the contacts during molding and provides a barrier to insulation overflow.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Female electrical locking receptacles presently employed in cord sets generally have contacts attached to the ends of insulated wires in an assembly which is molded in a suitable low temperature resilient thermoplastic material. The contacts must be individually and carefully mounted in position on long load pins within the mold before being encapsulated in the plastic insulation. The removal from the mold after cooling has also been somewhat difficult and slow, and the long load pins have been subject to frequent breakage. In addition, the molten plastic material often flows into the openings for the contacts and requires later removal. Other locking receptacles, such as used in wiring devices, usually have the contacts molded within a more rigid higher temperature thermoplastic material and require separate external connection of the leads before it can be used. One such device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,924,806, issued Feb. 9, 1960, wherein a rigid insert or locking plate, having slots to receive a male connector, is molded into the receptacle to retain a mating rotatable cap against withdrawal and locate the slot openings. This, however, did not serve to hold the receptacle contacts in position during molding or prevent the molten insulation from penetrating the slots.